Arsenal are not the only club yet to notch a Premier League goal in these early days of the season, but the disquiet is greater at the Emirates than it is at Sunderland, who have played just one match. Following the deadlock between the two sides, there is a temptation to link Arsenal's second goalless draw, at Stoke, to the sale of Robin van Persie to Manchester Unite, although it is too soon to assume Arsène Wenger's side will remain toothlessd. The stalemate at Stoke on Sunday would have been easier for Wenger to accept if Sunderland had been defeated. In the whole of the 2011-12 Premier League programme, there were just two fixtures at home in which Arsenal failed to find the net. It took Liverpool and Chelsea to deny them.Even so, it is far too soon to pass judgment on a changed side that also lacks Alex Song now that he has been sold to Barcelona. The Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is candid about the effect of Van Persie's move. "You can't replace Robin," he said. "It doesn't matter who is brought in. United went for him at the age of 29. What does that say? There aren't many bigger talents in the world. To replace Robin is impossible because he's a special player. You can't ask anyone to be as good as him. He scored almost every time we played in the league last year." The Stoke fans mocked Arsenal over the transfer. "You can get frustrated," Arteta conceded. "Last year, [Cesc] Fábregas left. We all know what that meant. You cannot do in two games what it has taken eight years to create. It's impossible."

Arteta could only ask for patience in the case of new attackers Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski, as well as the midfielder Santiago Cazorla."It could have changed just like that," Arteta said. "Last week, Olivier had a massive chance to win the game [with Sunderland] and he would have been the hero. And Lukas had a chance [against Stoke]. Personally, I'm happy because they look good," said the Spaniard.

There have been a range of alterations and Arteta recognises the potential, noting that Cazorla thrived in a free role and add

ing that Podolski had been "really good" on the left of the attack at Stoke. His optimism, though, will only resonate when Arsenal score and win.